Localtopia Returns Saturday, Feb. 6

By JON WILSON, Consulting Editor, TB Reporter

The free celebration of all things St. Petersburg will take place in Williams Park, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ST. PETERSBURG — Sometimes called “the community event of the year,” Localtopia will pack Williams Park Saturday with thousands enjoying music, specialty “villages” and the wares of nearly 200 vendors.

Every item, every show, and every sound and aroma is locally produced, organizers say, and the St. Pete-centric approach is what makes the event special. It’s back for its third year.

The event is big enough to spill out of the park. Third Street will be closed between First and Second Avenues N to create space for local restaurants, food trucks and beer trucks.

Mayor Rick Kriseman kicks off a busy few days on Monday (Feb. 1) when he recognizes the start of Black History Month by raising the flag of the Carter G. Woodson Museum of African-American History at City Hall. The public is invited.

Tropic Ocean Airways inaugurates flight service on Monday (Feb. 1) between Fort Lauderdale and Albert Whitted Airport downtown. A flight is scheduled to arrive at Albert Whitted at 7:48 a.m., with a return trip to Lauderdale set to depart at 8:24 a.m. Another flight is scheduled to land at Albert Whitted at 5:18 p.m. with the return trip at 5:54 p.m.

The next meeting of the Citizen Advisory Committee for the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment area is Tuesday (Feb. 2), and the public is encouraged to attend. The meeting is 5 p.m. at City Hall, 175 Fifth St. N, in Conference Room 100. You can see the agenda at http://www.stpete.org/city_departments/southside_cra.php.